What we do

Stroom Den Haag is the expertise center for art, society, and the public domain. Together with contemporary artists, we explore the culture of coexistence, examine future-oriented societal perspectives, and stimulate the imagination of the public

Impulse and Stimulation

Stimulating artistic practice is one of Stroom's key priorities. We achieve this through our support program and a mix of special activities aimed at deepening content and strengthening professional development. We offer customized support through profiling, advisory services, financial arrangements, and studio mediation.

Our focus is on interdisciplinary research and knowledge development through our thematic program, which includes temporary residencies and collaborations with international partners such as art academies, artists, and academic institutions. Facilitating artistic practice is also central to our extensive support program for the content development and professional growth of artists in The Hague. This includes our successful visitors and networking program, which emphasizes (international) exchange and depth. Our online database, haagsekunstenaars.nl, provides visibility for artists in The Hague and serves as a crucial tool for research by mediators, curators, and commissioners. Additionally, we offer talent development programs such as the Investweek, the Stroom Young Talent Award in collaboration with the Royal Academy of Art (KABK), and the Ouborg Prize, The Hague's visual arts award for proven talent, in collaboration with the Kunstmuseum. We provide financial support to artists and initiatives focused on deepening content and developing professional practice. In partnership with others, we regularly highlight new developments in the field.

Connecting with Society

Visual art comes to life by connecting with others through sharing, asking questions, and engaging in dialogue. Each artwork thus creates its own public space. We provide depth and context to projects using diverse and appropriate formats, such as presentations, artist talks, guided tours, studio visits, lectures, information sessions, seminars, and educational programs. Expertise development and research to support our policy, including knowledge sharing, are also integrated into this connecting program and supported by our valued library. In all this, we relate to the city and reflect on society.

As a cultural institution and network organization, establishing connections is central to our mission; it forms the core of our work and adds value to our objectives. We regularly collaborate with third parties and provide space for thematic program lines such as See You In The Hague, focusing on art that reflects on war and justice and relates to The Hague as a city of peace and justice, or the Positions program, which serves as a platform for increasing the visibility of artists in The Hague. Stroom offers a varied program for a wide audience: in line with our mission, we create space for experimentation, research, and innovation.

Advisory and Project Guidance

Stroom Den Haag is the knowledge and expertise center for public art: locally in The Hague, but also nationally and internationally. Since its inception, Stroom has applied placemaking as a working method, focusing on stimulating artistic development, facilitating the creative process, and collaborating with partners and the public to create a "social base" for art in the city and society. Our expertise functions as a toolbox, offering a mix of physical and business conditions (space, financial resources, organization, etc.), facilitating a socio-cultural context (through connections, relationships, engagement, and research), and making projects visible or public. Each project is unique and requires a tailored approach to achieve a valuable artwork.